Facing Evil
by CheeseThingy
Summary: "Sir, have you ever thought of where the beginnings of such fairy-stories began? How such ideas came into the brains of man? There are part truths to all stories."
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

Candles flickered dimly in the corner of the room, which I had been in for several hours; slowly burning their wax away and casting growing shadows on the wall the more they shrank away. Feeling tired from having been seated in this cold hard backed wooden chair all night with nothing but an even harder tabletop, which I had no choice but to use as a pillow, I wondered vaguely how things had come to this...

"Miss Miller?"

It's amazing how quickly sleep can come when one is exhausted and it's amazing just how quick sleep can be broken by the soft voice of a man. Lifting my head from the table in a lethargic manner I turned my eyes to the young officer who stood before me; quickly I noticed he had sheets of paper grasped firmly in his hands. Another hour; another interrogation. There was no end to my misery.

"Please spare me your contempt by standing there acting as if you have no idea what my name is. You know perfectly well who I am," He looked taken aback by my brashness but then recovered swiftly and quietly took a seat opposite me opening the wad of papers and laying them methodically before me. A tactic policeman often use to frighten the other into believing there was much evidence against them. Though I knew, he had nothing on me.

"So then I am to assume you know why you are here?"

Much thought had to go into that question because he had one answer and I had a different one. He thought me a killer, my innocence to all these accusations of murder were laying somewhere safe in the near future. Sighing at my predicament I answered, "Yes and no, though, doubtless you are going to tell me."

"You are here to help clear up some details regarding a man who goes by the name of Count Dracula," He paused a moment looking hard into my eyes seeking some kind of guilty reaction to the name but, I never allowed him the satisfaction. He took a deep breath glancing over the papers some more before asking, "What have you to say of this dreadful matter?"

For a moment I sat silently wondering how I would go about telling my part of the story before speaking, "Let me ask you, sir, a few things before I even dare entertain the idea of explaining what and why things have occurred as there are some things in it that may cause doubt and label me as some kind of mad woman."

"I shall answer your questions Miss Miller only on the presumption that afterwards you will answer all of mine," He folded his hands defiantly in front of him.

"I can't promise anything," I replied, "Shall I start?" He nodded and I began, " You may think it strange that I ask if you believe in superstitions? In magic? In the gaps in the very fabric of time? That age and time can be so easily separated? It is amazing how each thing in this very large world connects and interlinks. It is also interesting to discover that not all things are as they seem. Count Dracula wasn't as he seemed and neither am I for I am no cold hearted killer."

The officer looked quite perplexed by my meaning, "I do not know to what your questions tend but I can safely say that I believe not in such folly as magic and superstitions for they are the makings of novelists and story tellers. I believe in evidence and hard facts; that is why I am an officer. Now, you said the count was not as he seemed, what do you mean by this?"

Sighing with a kind of frustration I looked into the mans eyes almost pleadingly, "Sir, have you ever thought of where the beginnings of such fairy-stories began? How such ideas came into the brains of man? There are part truths to all stories. I say part because humans only discover small bits of the world of mystery and make up the rest. You sit there with your papers which contain so-called facts and you close your mind to what you do not want to see. Sometimes the logical answer lies within the illogical. Do not think I am here of my own accord...this was not my wish. I was doing as I was told by the others..."

"Told by the others?" He looked quite excited by this revelation and readied his pen, "Who are these others?"

"I can not say and even if I did you will not find them...they do not exist in this time and place," with that he looked utterly disappointed and confused, placing his pen back down upon the desk. Sighing heavily, he readied himself to leave so I added hastily, "My last and only wish I ask of you is that you please open your mind."

Once again he looked puzzled, "Open my mind?"

"There are many things I wish to tell you that even I am having trouble believing. I have been around so long that I believed I knew everything but, even a non-human like me has trouble believing in what you humans call 'fairy-stories'," I whispered the last part knowing full well that he was looking at me with a face filled with disbelief. If I kept going like this he would surely send me to the madhouse so I reached out to him, imploring him, "Just listen and judge for yourself. Only after you may have your proof. After all, seeing is believing."

He sat upright, alert and full of attention, "All right Miss Miller, I am all ears."


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter one**

_January 20th 2012, Late Afternoon_

It had been a long agonising day of tedious business involving disputes which required more paperwork and energy then was needed; every detail had to be included and once it had been finalised I was to sign it. What happened to it after my signature was provided I had no idea; there are things in my boring office job that I can only guess at. However, I was well known in this building for my changing moods and lack of humour. Though, this didn't bother me in the slightest, I preferred my own company.

Turning my attention to my paper work I felt a sort of déjà vu; questioning myself on why I even bothered working at all. Really there was no need for me to be doing something so menial. Yet, I had to 'blend in'; even if I could do a lot more than what is deemed 'normal' to a human. Perhaps, I should explain. If ever I wanted something like, I don't know, a car or house I need only use my 'charms' (a common word used to describe a certain quality not often associated with humans). It is something my brother has never approved of when it is often used for my own material benefits. We are, after all, supposed to be 'creatures of the light'... There are a variety of others things I am able to do outside the human abilities but they are of no importance, as of yet.

Looking back down at the last piece of paperwork, positioned neatly in front of me, I did little more than heave a massive sigh quietly placing my signature at the bottom and putting it on top of the pile situated neatly in the corner of my desk. Relief flooded through me; I was finally able to go home and have a well deserved rest after such a trying day of office troubles and paperwork. It also meant that I needn't ask permission to do anything since I would be in my own home. Thank heavens it was a Friday. Finally a whole two days of relaxation. Being so long at work had caused my back to ache and for my eyes to grow tired from continual use. How humans insisted on doing such things their entire lives...

Standing, I reached for my handbag and car keys, readying myself for home. At this point when I had just picked up my keys my personal assistant walked hurriedly into the room, a piece of paper held against her chest lest anyone should see. Instantly, I froze where I stood feeling a sort of dread overcome me. Not now, it's Friday.

"Sorry to disturb you, Bethany but this fax has just come through," she offered it to me and giving her a look I didn't take it, "I'm finished for the day. Put it in my pigeon hole and I will tend to it Monday." I was short and to the point, work had had enough from me this week.

"It's marked _'urgent'_," she stated simply placing it face up on my desk before quietly leaving the room. Gnashing my teeth I watched her go, she had every reason to leave me in this state especially when I had now got myself in a horrid temper. Begrudgingly, I dropped my things and sat back down giving the stupid fax my full attention. Annoyingly, it consisted of one line and no signature. Running a hand through my auburn hair I knew that this was no ordinary fax and had something to do with my more secretive other life.

Carefully, having memorised what had been written, I took the fax and ran it through my paper shredder contemplating my next move. As a person or in this case, a supernatural being of a certain kind and type, I have been for some time under the jurisdiction of the government and forced to act as a kind of agent. My responsibilities were mostly concerned with purging the country of certain peoples, groups and organisations aided only by my abilities and sometimes with others of my kind.

However, the fax related to no order of protection or order to seek and destroy and it had me baffled. No names had been mentioned; no organisation, not even an old case file was within the fax recently shredded. There was nothing for me to work on. All it contained was an address, which was not even in this country. What was I to make of this? With so little information at hand was I meant to only guess? Things needed to be thought through and sorted in my mind...

The only conclusion I could draw from it was that the address was a place meant for a meeting. Obviously it meant that someone within some government wanted to meet me and so had it arranged. Though such meetings were a rare occurrence; usually when one is set up it meant that we had to go through what had been already done...Then again there was no time set for when this meeting should take place and no return address or signature. There only sat a date in the top corner which was of course the 20th.

Leaning back in my chair, I reached into my bag and took from it my mobile phone and decided to call my brother Nathan. After a few rings, he answered, "Yes?" Unsurprisingly he sounded irritated.

"Judging by your tone I am going to conclude that you also received a fax from an unknown source?" I too upheld the same tone.

"You have guessed correct, though I have no idea what to make of it, only that my weekend is no longer free," he replied sounding bitter. Well he wasn't the only one.

"Same address?" I asked whilst rummaging through the mail on my desk which had been brought in that morning.

"London?" he asked and I confirmed, he continued, "Do we know when we are to arrive there?"

"Don't worry someone has already booked our flights," my voice lacked the element of surprise. The tickets were in one of the letters I had just opened, "We are lucky. Business class; flashy." Someone somewhere knew that my mail remained sealed until the afternoon.

"What time should we leave for the airport?"

"Don't bother packing," I sighed, "we need to leave now."

Needless to say the flight was long and tiring and oh so silent as we each of us were not in the mood for conversation. Upon our arrival into London I took a hold of my brother's arm, "We must keep an eye out for any sign that someone is here to meet us."

Nathan took his arm from my tight grip, "Like that strange man there?" he pointed.

Glancing at whom he had pointed I eyed the man who was staring at us looking unsure and nervous. Admittedly, I felt him suspicious but then again we were quite the suspicious type too. His dress was quite formal like that of a driver or chauffeur. I felt hesitant in approaching in case he was not the person in which we were to meet but then again government officials have been known to dress strangely in public places. Cautiously, we approached and when we were near enough he showed some courage and spoke, "Nathan and Bethany Miller?"

"Yes," I replied, still eyeing him suspiciously, "Are you the informant?"

"No ma'am, I'm to drive you to your required meeting place," he replied doffing his hat, "No luggage? Well at least that will save us the trouble of putting everything in the car." He sounded cheerful enough but I just wasn't in the mood for light banter.

His black Mercedes was parked discreetly amongst a line of cabs and upon seeing it I felt as if I really didn't know what I was getting into. Politely, the man opened the back door for us and we climbed into the luxurious interior feeling like prisoners in some fancy automobile. The chauffer drove the car smoothly out of the airport and away down some road that bore no resemblance to me. A foreign country always managed to have this affect.

The next point of meeting was an utter mystery and for a moment I gathered my courage to ask, "Excuse me, where exactly are we going? I was given to believe that I would be meeting our informant at the airport and from there go elsewhere."

Through his rear view mirror the chauffer looked at me, "If only things were so simple ma'am. I'm taking you to Whitby. A nice little place up the coast."

Nathan frowned at this and asked sceptically, "How far are we from this Whitby?"

"From memory I would hazard a guess...around nine hours or so," the man replied chattily, "But don't worry, its worth the drive."

"Nine hours?" I blurted feeling queasy, "please tell me we are going to stay over night somewhere."

"Sorry, but my directions were to take you directly. Rest stops though will be allowed," he winked playfully, "so let me know when you need to have a bit of a stretch or something." Cheerily he put the radio on and a song of sorts played happily around us.

Once again I turned to my brother, "Why on Earth are we scheduled to meet someone so bloody far away?"

"Your guess is as good as mine," he replied relaxing into his seat preparing himself for the journey.

"If it's anything like our last mission..." I trailed off in thought.

Nathan was already starting to sleep, "then we are in for the time of our lives." If only that were true, I thought.


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter two**

It had to have been the longest and most agonising drive of my life and that's saying something considering my age. Our chauffer had done is absolute best to make it an enjoyable one with little positive result on our behalf. He tried small talk and chatting, putting the radio on up loud and singing and even attempted to give witty remarks on locations we had stopped at; all in vain. My brother and I were fatigued from our flight and could think of nothing else but quiet and sleep so our participation in said activities was either partly there or non-existent. Mostly, non-existent.

We had reached Whitby in just under ten hours which, when I think on it, is about the time it takes to drive from Sydney to Melbourne. It only took so long because we had stopped several times along the way. Upon first viewing this town called Whitby I felt a sort of disappointment. It was a nice little place but it lacked in something. Or perhaps I was just feeling homesick, having been used to Sydney's surf and sun. The town was old, which was probably the most obvious sign, as most buildings maintained that old fashioned outlook even if their interiors were of modern attire.

The skyline was dominated by the ruins of an old abbey high on a cliff situated to the East and below was a series of narrow streets that all led to the busy quayside. There was an older part to the town as well where there were several hundred steps leading to a church which bore no great resemblance to me. A sea breeze blew softly across my face as gulls wailed mournfully above our heads.

We had been dropped outside a hotel which had been thus named 'the Seacliffe hotel'; a plain building in my eyes but then again all buildings looked the same to me now-a-days. They lacked character. We walked casually inside feeling like outsiders in this strange place. No doubt it was a popular tourist destination. The place had been recently re-furbished with all the modern qualities people believed they need when on holiday and again I felt it lacking. Giving my brother a look, we headed to the bar where we sat quietly pouring over the menu acting as if we were interested in buying a drink. Really, we were scanning our surroundings for any sign of abnormality.

"You took your time in coming," a male's voice spoke cheerfully behind me making both Nathan and I jump. We both spun round to face this stranger who had oddly spoken to us as if we were familiars. "Do we know you?" I asked only to make sure that he was our informant.

"I was told you'd be something of a feisty one," he winked playfully and joined us at our table quickly ordering three drinks, "you have of course come here to meet me."

"And who are you?" quizzed Nathan while the drinks were placed in front of us.

"Names are of no importance. I need only know yours," he smiled, "we are here on urgent business not leisure."

"If business was so urgent why have you made us travel all this way?" I asked frowning, "The flight had been long enough but to endure a nine almost ten hour drive just to meet here. It seems a bit, well, redundant. Why here?"

"I expected as much from you Bethany," he smiled sipping his beer, "and from you Nathan. But, I would have thought this place would have had some sort of significance."

"With all due respect, we grew up in Australia. Whatever significance this place has we neither know or care about it," I replied folding my arms.

The man gave a sort of sad sigh looking almost frustrated, "You both disappoint me...I was under the impression you were both well read..." He trailed off. Nathan glanced at me. What does he mean by this? What had this to do with anything? I too gave Nathan a look.

"You brought us here to inform us that this place is significant because it has been mentioned in a book?" Nathan looked outraged and somehow I found I could sympathise with him.

"No. I mention it because it is important to the task in which I am to set you," he replied as if we should have known this all along. All this guess work. How much were we supposed to already know and don't?

"I don't follow," I leant forward continuing, "you tell us this place is in a book which makes it significant and important to our mission but I don't see how both these things link."

"I see," he sat silent for a moment then asked abruptly, "Are you familiar with the works of Bram Stoker?"

There was a very dead silence following this statement in which Nathan and I exchanged unconcealed looks of utter puzzlement. I spoke first, "Isn't he the one that wrote that ridiculous tale about creatures who drink the blood of mortals? No, I have not read his book but plenty of films have been wasted on his idiotic story."

Again the male looked disappointed, "Well, I am saddened but no matter. I guess I will just have to fill you in as best I can. His famous novel, _Dracula_, was not just set in Transylvania-"

Nathan couldn't help himself, he cut across him sounding exasperated, "Why are we discussing the works of fiction? Aren't we in reality? Shouldn't we be discussing our next mission?"

"Listen to me please!" strangely the unfamiliar man raised his voice and needless to say it agitated my brother and me but he disregarded our looks of displeasure continuing, "As I was saying the story was not only set in Transylvania but also here in Whitby. It was here Dracula prowled the night and took the blood from Lucy-"

"I'm sorry," Though I didn't sound it, "you called a meeting here because this place is significant due to its being mentioned in a fictitious novel written almost two hundred years ago?"

"I called this meeting to inform you that that novel was no work of fiction," He stated simply.

Nathan snorted loudly while a smile of sorts twitched in the corners of my mouth. He had to be delusional, "with all due respect but are you out of your mind? There are no such things as vampires or anything of the sort."

"Ah," he touched his nose knowingly, "but you see, the same could be said about _you_."

"That's a different matter entirely," I shrugged off feeling a sudden tension building. That knowledge of our character was meant to stay secret; to have as general knowledge is something we dread.

"How so? From where I sit I can see no difference. Are you or are you not mythical creatures called _Fairies_?" he spoke in hushed tones but as he desired he had our full attention.

"Who told you what we are?" There was a sort of venomous growl to my tone and I felt nothing but the urge to leave. That was something we would rather he had not known though, really in such circumstances we had no choice but to accept it.

"I'm a person who must know certain things especially in my field," he smiled weakly before speaking on, "So really my point is-if fairies exist, as both of you are proof of that, then so too do vampires."

"Fine," spat Nathan, "we shall accept your premise but will not accept that a fictional character known only as Count Dracula was once real."

"He **is** real," dramatically his fist slammed against the table in pure frustration catching the attention of all the other people within the hotel. When he continued he did so calmly, "your task is to go back. Back to when it all started here in Whitby and destroy that monster."

"He dies regardless," this was only me being logical and honest, "there really is no need for us to go back."

"There are many lives you could save. There are names not mentioned in that book whose lives were affected by that monster," he sounded agitated again, "you must go back and help those men who seek to destroy Dracula and offer your services."

"Why us?" I asked tiredly, "You have so many others at your disposal and yet you picked us."

"Oh Bethany I would have thought that answer obvious to you," He looked at me with that disappointment again; "you and your brother are creatures of the light. That monster is a creature of darkness and it is well known that light can destroy dark."

"You forget that day must eventually succumb to the night," Nathan interjected looking in all honesty ever bit as tired as I felt.

"Light reveals all in the darkness depending on its _strength_," he emphasised the last word letting it hang suspended in the air between us with the sort of effect that left one thinking about good and evil.

"You suppose you've set us an easy task?" folding my arms I stared at the man long and hard, "besides how are we to go back nearly two hundred years and destroy something believed to be mythical?"

"There are always ways around the laws of time. You needn't worry your pretty head over such things," Slowly he began to rise from his chair; "I have booked us a room here for us all to spend the night in. Now I know it's still light out but you both must be exhausted."

"We are staying here?" I asked puzzled, "you're not going to take us to some fancy facility to send us back in time or something?"

"No, no," he waved his hand as if shooing a bug, "I'm not taking you anywhere today. You are both jet-lagged from your long flight and need to catch up on sleep so c'mon."

Reluctantly we followed this stranger into the depths of the hotel and to a room at the end of a hall. He took a key from his pocket and casually unlocked the door beckoning for us to enter, "you may both sleep. I will join you later as I'm not tired and I have other business to attend to. I hope this is comfortable for you."

We looked about the room taking note of its modern comforts and long after he had left us, we were already in our beds, the curtains drawn and the sheets up to our noses so that we would rest better. The bed was soft and comfortable and I gladly lost myself in its sheets happy to reduce the tiredness that overcome me when I got off the plane. Shortly after, I entered the world of dreams...

"Bethany!" Nathan's voice sounded panicked and his grip was tight on my arm, "wake up! Something's not right!"

Grumbling my displeasure I pushed him from me, "will you stop that! Nothings the matter you imbecile-you're dreaming! Go back to sleep." Rolling over I pulled the blankets closer around me.

"No! Listen to me! I'm not dreaming! We've been tricked!" He cried in what sounded like utter horror stomping his foot on the ground like a small frustrated child, "Get up and look out the window then you will understand!"

"What are you waffling on about?" here I rolled back over frowning angrily at my brother but I knew it would do no good. Huffing tiredly I slid gently from the bed which somehow felt different and...Turning around, looked different too, "what?" I asked myself looking about the room and suddenly realising that everything looked as if it had aged...Something sick was starting to manifest in my gut.

"Look out the window," Nathan whispered pushing me forward. The curtains were still closed but I dreaded what would linger beyond. Looking fearfully at my brother I tentatively pulled the curtain back to reveal the world beyond. I gasped. The town looked similar and in some parts the same but the people were significantly different. Their clothing was among the first things I noticed.

"Nathan, are we dreaming?" the question flew from my lips before I had the chance to think it through.

"No. We have been fooled..." he sounded angry coming and standing beside me, "we have gone back in time without our knowing or being properly informed."

There were no words really that could describe how I felt except betrayed and violated. How could anyone do this while we were asleep and at our most vulnerable? Someone will pay for this...as soon as I return to the future.

"There was a note, some money and two sets of old fashioned clothing left for us," Nathan handed me the piece of paper which only read:

_Good Luck_

Turning my attention from the note and back out the window I did my best to control the emotions which had suddenly gone into array much like the storm I saw brewing on the horizon. Where were we supposed to start? What had we to go on? Are we to spend our time doing guess work?

Looking back at the note I re-read it and scrunched it into a tight ball in my hand, "We are going to need more than luck if we are to succeed in this mission."


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter three**

_Date unknown; most likely 200 years or so in the past_

We were inside an unfamiliar building in an unfamiliar time and we were most probably trespassing in someone's home which had become a hotel much later but as of yet was not one...There was only one option we had really, which was to leave the premises immediately via the window with the things we were provided. Fortunately, we escaped unnoticed much to my relief. All we had left to do was to try and wrap our heads around what had just happened.

"We have no place to spend the night," Nathan murmured into my ear whilst we walked down what I assumed to be the main road. How was I supposed to know where we were? England was not my home country. Damn those infernal government insiders for their poor decisions. My stress levels had probably sky rocketed.

"We were given money relevant to this time period amongst other things so no need to panic I'm sure we'll be able to locate a place we can rest easy during the night," I continued, "if that is even possible." Everything felt so alien to me, I felt utterly lost and we were visibly newcomers and these old fashioned people weren't stupid they knew straight away and eyed us while we walked.

"We are drawing attention...it's going to be worse when we speak," my poor brother sounded concerned, "We don't speak in their accent or in their style; any English person of this time will notice the difference." He was undoubtedly correct in his assumptions. In the ears of these people our accents would sound unusually harsh and unwanted questions would be asked.

"We need to find a way to get back to our own place and time," I stated simply, "we can't stay here."

"What if this _Dracula_ is real?" Nathan asked quietly, "surely the government wouldn't go to all this effort if that demon like creature were not real." Again he had made a valid point but it threw me headfirst into despair, "Where do we even begin? We no nothing of this time-we weren't even amongst humans during this time, also we have not read the book and so no nothing of this creatures powers or whereabouts. We base our assumptions off cinema which in all honesty means it isn't correct."

"No, we do know that the vampire sleeps in a coffin or box," Nathan pointed out, "That must mean something."

"How so? What good is that to us? We can't walk upon or even touch a place where a soul or soul's rest-it is forbidden to us," I snapped in frustration, "we are only powerful in day. This creature breathes during the night. How are we expected to do what must be done?"

"We have to remain calm," Nathan sounded grave in his reply, "if we panic we'll fail."

"We are not ordinary anymore brother, in this place everything about us will stand out from our looks to our speech and the way in which we speak to one another," all this was said as I stared at the darkened clouds looming over the horizon, "a storm is brewing we need to seek shelter and then think of what to do next."

We spent the majority of our time searching for a place to stay and after some time we found a small hotel where we quickly booked a room and left the scrutiny of the people on the streets. We spent most our time in brooding silence; neither of us able to come up with any 'plan' of sorts and to make matters worse we got little sleep during the night as the storm I had spied early boomed and crashed above us.

By morning, the storm had passed and my brother and I were able to stir out of doors without drawing too much attention. There was much talk within the town about the storm and a strange ship that had somehow steered itself into harbour. Curiously, we decided to head down to the harbour and inspect the situation ourselves.

A crowd had already gathered eagerly on the deck of the strange ship in the harbour and from the faces I could see, there was great distress and surprise. Police officers quickly stormed the scene moving their way between the masses and shooing them from whatever the people were so interested in. Joining the crowd, I was able to catch small snatches of conversation.

"Dead..."

"Tied to the wheel..."

"No other men..."

Frowning in thought I turned to my brother, "There's something not right about this..." A gasp from the crowd turned my attention away from him as a great dog of some kind took off from the ship and bounded into god-knows-where as I was unable to see above the heads of others.

"How odd," Nathan Whispered, "Do you suppose things like this happen regularly in England?"

"I don't think so judging from the looks on everyone's faces," I whispered in reply, "c'mon lets get out of here and find a quiet place to talk." It took us mere moments to find a suitable place to converse and even then it was risky. There was a seat situated near a cemetery and church which had a great view of the town and ocean beyond. It was here that we decided to converse.

Our conversation was stopped halfway through however, by the appearance of a young woman who looked surprised at our sitting there. "Oh, I see I am not the only one who quite enjoys this spot," she smiled politely.

"Yes," Feeling it necessary I replied, "It provides a great view of the sea and surrounding town."

She looked curiously at me for a moment, "You are not English...oh forgive me I should not have said that-"

"It's perfectly fine," Nathan joined in, "You are quite right. We are just here on holiday."

"Oh," she blushed slightly, "then you have chosen a beautiful place."

"Indeed we have except perhaps, it would have been slightly improved had not that ship come in," it was easy enough to get into the lingo of things here plus we had to or else we'd risk getting discovered. She looked somewhat saddened by my words, "Indeed! It is a great tragedy and more so especially for that poor dog that got away...it is very unnerving when thinking about what might have happened to those other men especially when they found the captain in such a condition."

"I only heard snippets from the crowd but I do believe it odd," I replied continuing, "What do you suppose could have caused the captain to do such a thing?"

"Doubtless the majority of our questions will be answered in tomorrow's paper," Nathan interjected.

"Yes, there were a few reporters standing about," she added thoughtfully. There followed a small awkward silence where I debated the idea of offering her a seat beside me and after said time I shuffled Nathan along and asked her kindly, "Would you like to sit with us?"

"Oh thank you yes," she replied joyously seating herself beside me, "I'm Lucy by the way, Lucy Westenra." Quite suddenly the words of our informant came rushing back to me with a crashing realisation that this Lucy had something to do with Dracula, "This is my brother Nathan," I introduced him first, "and I'm Bethany Miller."

"Nice to meet you both," she smiled sweetly, "It is not everyday I meet someone from a foreign land."

"Well now you have," I smiled in return glancing all about her neck to see if the creature had already got at her.

"If you don't mind me asking, where _are_ you from?" she asked curiously.

"Ah..." that was a question I had not anticipated. What countries did exist at this time? Did Australia even exist?

"Australia," Nathan cut in quickly and confidently, "We have travelled all the way to view England." I didn't know whether to sigh in relief or panic because if our country didn't exist then we were doomed.

"Oh indeed? Then you have travelled quite a long way. I daresay you have come from across the other side of the world," she was looking at us strangely and I felt my insides squirm with discomfort. "Yes it was one arduous journey," Nathan smiled slightly.

"Yes, I assume so," she looked out at the horizon smiling to herself, "Is it not beautiful?"

I was about to reply when another woman approached who appeared to be a friend of Miss Lucy, "Mina! How good it is you've decided to join us! If I may, this here is Miss Bethany Miller and her brother Mr. Nathan Miller. They have travelled all the way from Australia to holiday here."

"I see they have taken a liking to our seat," smiled the other known only to us as Mina.

"It gives us a wonderful view of all that is happening around us," doing my best I tried to sound cheerful but the sheer size of the situation had just occurred to me.

"It is peaceful," remarked Mina, "I sit here when I am in need of quiet so I can write in my journal."

"Then we should leave," I turned to my brother. "Oh no!" Lucy took my arm firmly, "We have just met and already I have taken a liking to you-forgive me for acting so bold but I can not lie! Besides I am intrigued by your travels and I am inclined to hear more."

Once again I felt at a loss for words as both women stared patiently waiting for me to answer, "I am sorry to disappoint but I spent the majority of the journey asleep."

"Asleep?" questioned Mina, "the whole time?"

"The sea has a sort of calming affect mostly like rocking a baby to sleep," I explained feeling as if at any moment the lie I was weaving would turn to ash before my eyes.

"I should like to be rocked to sleep," smiled Lucy dreamily, "It must have been wonderful."

"I can assure you the storms weren't," added Nathan boldly, "they were fearsome and threw the ship about like it was a mere toy...at times I thought the waves would take us under."

"How frightening!" cried Lucy sharing a concerned look with her friend Mina, "You poor souls!"

Mina stepped closer, "How on Earth did you manage to survive?"

"Luck," I shrugged wishing to keep the lie as real as possible, "and a very good captain."

"The poor captain of that vessel that came in this morning..." Mina shook her head sadly, "No one deserves such a fate."

"We were just discussing that," I added, "I wonder what happened to the dog..."

"It will turn up eventually," reassured Lucy, "and I would be right in thinking the poor creature would be in great distress."

"Anything would be in great distress after such an incident," I added knowingly, "Let us hope this does not mean dark times are ahead."

"No that would be frightful," Mina added in also, "though it does not bode well for Whitby does it?"

We talked on some more on the subject before Nathan and I departed leaving Lucy and Mina to enjoy their favourite seat on their own. We walked away in silence too lost in our own thoughts to feel the need to speak to each other. Following the path through the cemetery I was careful to avoid the edges. "That is the Lucy our informant mentioned," Nathan broke the silence, "It has to be."

"How many other Lucy's are there in Whitby?" I asked rhetorically, "anyway we'll find out soon enough."

"When do you suppose this Dracula will strike?" Nathan whispered with concern.

"I don't know," my gut ached painfully with regret. If I had read the book we wouldn't be having this much trouble. We would know everything.

"We really are going into this without a thought," Nathan looked strained, "we are in a place that isn't familiar; a time when we weren't amongst humans. We have been set a task which we have to figure out for ourselves."

"Don't remind me," he had to make everything feel so much more worse than what it was, "we have no choice. We must wait until he appears before we act."

"So Lucy will be the bait?" Nathan actually looked into my eyes which glimmered with concern and fear. It felt unnatural.

"Lucy was sort of like bait regardless or so I am to believe," Looking west I sighed, "c'mon lets go eat and try to figure out some sort of plan."

"And if we have no plan?" he asked.

"Then we risk it all," was all I could reply; it just so happened to be the truth.


	5. Chapter 4

"So what is the plan?" That was Nathan's first question when we returned to the hotel. It was appropriate considering that we were just discussing the topic moments before. However, I wasn't that good of a thinker and to come up with a plan so quickly, especially given the situation which lacked valuable information, was an impossibility even for me. Surprisingly, I regret not listening to our informant properly.

With a moment's consideration to his question, I flopped onto my bed exasperated with myself for not having anything worth saying. I heard my brother sigh, "You mean to tell me that we have no plan ideas at all?"

Quickly I sat up and confirmed his fears, "There is no plan idea because we have no idea as to the situation we are in. How are we to have a plan when we obviously have no idea what's going on? This is such a weakness and could work to the advantage of our enemy. So far we have met two people who we can only assume are relevant to this so called 'story' because our informant mentioned a-"

Nathan cut me off, "We met this Lucy and Mina. We know Lucy was the one our informant mentioned. We know she has something to do with Dracula yes?"

"Yes..." I was unsure as to where he was going with this.

"Then we must focus on her. If we wish to locate and destroy this evil creature then it must be done through her," My brother was looking at me with a determined face; one I had seen only a few times before. It made me feel somewhat more confident. Also, he was correct. It would be foolish if we were to set off into the night unaware of what to look for, with Lucy as our 'bait' it was perfect. The only flaw was how to use her as bait. All this thinking was starting to give me a headache... "Do we know what day it is?"

"I have it here somewhere," Nathan rummaged around in his bag pulling from it a folded newspaper. Quickly he unfurled it and read aloud, "It is the 8th of August 1890."

Snatching the paper from his hands in disbelief I re-read the date over and over absolutely sure he had it wrong. A part of me knew we had gone back in time quite a fair way but to have it there in writing was tipping me over the edge. Hopelessness, despair and anger were swelling in my chest. How on Earth were we to get back to our time without having to wait until the years pass? Slowly I looked over the paper at Nathan who was eyeing me with a worried look, "We have travelled so far back in time...I feel as if we are trapped...as if there is no way out...like we will be trapped in this time..."

Nathans hand rested on mine, "You mustn't allow yourself to get so emotional. It's not like you. Let us return to the task at hand."

"I know, I know," composing myself I took a deep breath doing what I could to assess the situation without panicking. For another few minutes I sat in silence thinking a plan through and processing all possibilities of success. The chances of success on this one were higher than if we had been on our own so adjusting my outfit I put it to Nathan, "I believe that the best option we have is to keep an eye on this Lucy. We must follow her everyday and at least take turns to keep and eye out for her during the day and night."

Nathan frowned, "We are going to stalk Miss Lucy?"

"It isn't stalking you fool! We will be like her shadow. Following her every move to ensure her safety. Nothing more. Besides we are lucky we are not human. It will make things easier for us if she believes she is being followed. We move quickly. Plus it may also do well to take notes on what she does. We may be able to find a pattern in her daily habits."

"You expect me to take notes?" His frown deepened, "why must I take notes?"

"Because I have set you the task of following her during the day. I shall keep a watch outside her house during the night," I explained. Nathan just stared at me in disbelief for a few minutes before muttering, "No you are actually being serious."

"I am," I gave him a look; "If you aren't satisfied have you anything better to add?"

"None," He blinked.

"Then let us do what we must," I pushed him to the door, "See you tonight. Wake me when you return."

He left with the same look of disbelief as he had before. My only hope was that this idea would work..

"Wake up! It is evening already," My shoulders were shaken quite viciously and I woke suddenly from my sleep in a state of panic, "What!? What is it!?"

"I watched Lucy all day! Here are my notes-" He threw them onto my lap; "I am going to bed. It has been such a tedious day. A waste of my life and time."

Blinking the sleep from my eyes I sat up in my bed and took a hold of his notes quickly reading:

_She went to the harbour with Mina_

_They went home_

_They stayed home_

_I got bored and decided to write a whole bunch of nonsense to make it seem as if I have done something productive..._

The next paragraph was just cartoonish scribble. Typical Nathan. Tossing his notes onto the floor I proceeded to get out of bed and get ready for a long night. As I left the hotel the last vestiges of light were disappearing beyond the horizon. Heaving a heavy sigh I couldn't help but think of how long the night was really going to be...

The sun was just peeking over the horizon by the time I had returned to the hotel. A blanket of exhaustion had overcome my entire body and when my brother greeted me I couldn't even manage a 'morning' as I headed toward my bed falling unceremoniously upon its sheets. My eyes were so heavy from having been scanning the darkened world all night. It was not easy having to stay awake past ones bedtime. Not an easy task at all.

"I take it nothing particular happened last night?"

"Nothing, it was a typical night," I managed to mumble through my sleepiness.

"I knew it," he scoffed, "Well I am out to watch Lucy again...rest well."

The next night was very much the same and my brothers' notes were becoming tediously ridiculous. A sort of tension had built between us. He was convinced we were wasting our time and I was determined not to give up. If this Dracula vampire did exist then he must be very well hidden or else hidden in plain sight. It was frustrating. To cap things off nothing had happened at all since that ship came in and my mind was starting to convince me that Dracula was indeed a work of fiction and this was all just some twisted test of loyalty...There was always hope though...hope that the next day may bring with it something...

_The morning of the 10__th__ of August_

I was woken early by Nathan who greeted me with the news that the sea-captain found dead on his ship was having his funeral today and he wanted to know if I would attend.

"I am exhausted. I don't really want to do anything except sleep," my eyes had closed themselves automatically after being open for a few seconds. I had once again spent the entire night before watching Lucy's house with the same result as the night before. Nothing.

"You shouldn't have stayed up all night-I knew it was pointless. Please don't tell me you're going out again?"

"I must not give up. I must persist..."I was starting to drift in and out of sleep. "You are starting to look haggard," Nathan stated while putting on his shoes. "If this is what it takes to get back home then so be it," Rolling onto my side I pulled the dooner over my head and allowed myself the pleasure of sleep.

"Here are my notes! Wake up!" A ball of paper flew through the air and whacked me on the forehead. It wasn't the best way to start the day. In fact, I would have to say it was the worst for me. Then again I wasn't really starting the day at all. It was evening and I was supposed to be readying myself for a night of complete and utter boredom.

"Good evening to you too dear brother," I snapped opening the ball of paper to read what ridiculous things he had written this time. The contents of the previous note were 'Lucy went to the toilet' 'Lucy sat down' and 'Lucy has three boyfriends' so you can only imagine what I believed to be in this one. To my surprise it was much better:

_After the funeral, Lucy and Mina went for a very, I mean very, long walk. I am exhausted and so are they. That's all. You should sleep tonight. I've no doubt they will be._

"I see you have improved your note taking," I smiled placing the note on the bedside table, "though, the added bit on the end was unnecessary. Still my mind isn't changed. I will be going out tonight."

"Suit yourself," He shrugged, "If you wish to suffer with lack of sleep then so be it."

"I shall do what has to be done," ignoring him I climbed from my bed and dressed. He waited patiently until I had finished before adding, "We are wasting our time." There was no reply I had to his statement so instead I gave him a look of despair before leaving the safety of the hotel room once more.

It turned out to be quite a cloudy night. Bright at times then dark as a cloud would cross the moon. There was something about this particular night which had me on my guard. It was as if there was an impending doom. Over and over I scanned my surroundings to ensure that I was alone and each time I did this I confirmed that I was. However, I couldn't shake the uneasiness. So I kept a very close eye on the house in which Lucy was now residing...probably sound asleep. Lucky girl.

As the night wore on it became cloudier and I quite quickly began thinking of my own bed...and home...how I missed the benefits of human technology; for instance a flushing toilet. As I stood staring at the house thinking about a life that seemed so out of reach the front door suddenly opened and out stepped a female figure. In the darkness it was difficult to tell who it was even when I squinted. Luckily a cloud moved away from the moon allowing me to get a glimpse at an apparently 'sleep walking' Lucy before darkness swallowed the world again.

It was just ticking on eleven thirty as she headed away from the house and with each step she took I was not far behind. For a while I was baffled as to where she was headed until I realised we were walking a familiar path. Up ahead I could see the seat I had met her at only a few days before. To me she looked as if she were in a kind of trance. To a human she was sleep walking. But my supernatural senses knew better.

A part of me wanted to take a hold of her and shake her awake and take her back to safety while the other part wanted me to see what would happen. She took some time to reach the seat and while she was preparing to sit I hid amongst some ruins being sure that she remained within my sight. When I looked again, Lucy was seated however; a dark figure with a pale face approached her and gently he tilted her head back to expose her neck. My eyes narrowed and I felt all my teeth become razor sharp. My instincts had kicked in. Stepping from the safety of my hiding place I revealed myself to the new comer, illuminating the ground and the majority of the surrounds about me. The creature turned and faced me eyeing my up and down with an expression I couldn't read.

Very well, I thought, I will speak first.

"You are not welcome here. I suggest you leave or else I will make you," I bared my teeth; my eyes as black as the night...


End file.
